The slimly and simply attractive LCD TV

John Naisbitt, the author of Global Paradox, mentioned in his book "The paradox is the source of a thinker's passion and inspiration".

Most people are obsessed with anything bigger and fancier, but design wise, the latest trend shows the paradox. It is not bigger and fancier but slimmer and simpler.

As we can see nowadays, housing has minimalist design; furniture no longer has complicated patterns. This is also the case with audio-visual products.

Danish manufacturer Bang and Olufsen has pioneered simple design in its audio products, and for the last few years, the LCD TV has fascinated us with its slim and simple design yet powerful picture quality.

If you are considering replacing your 29-inch CRT (conventional TV) with something bigger (screen size wise) yet slim and simple that offers better picture quality, don't overlook the "crispy yet low calorie" offer of the 32-inch LCD.

Yes, it is "crispy", "visually crispy". We are currently spoiled by the many choices of LCDs on the market. Each brand tries to visually spoil us with its sleek lineup of models. Recent LCD models are equipped with 100Hz frequency, Full HD (High Definition) and higher contrast ratio, even up to 70,000:1. Visually, these features offer much better picture quality than CRTs, which mostly have only 50Hz, no HD and a much lower contrast ratio.

Design wise, the LCD is "slimly" attractive. The 32-inch LCD or bigger would fit perfectly in your living room. Having an LCD in the living room is not only for home entertainment purposes, but is also a status symbol, reflecting modernity and prestige.

The latest lineup of LCD models not only offers black and silver colors, but also blue, green, orange, red, white and even pink. One can easily choose a color to suit the color of a room.
And yes, they are "low calorie" in that they are affordable. The average price of a 32-inch LCD in 2006 was Rp 11.5 million, but has dropped to just Rp. 5.7 million. The price of some models is even less than Rp 5 million, meaning the price has dropped by 50 percent in just two years. LCD prices in Indonesia are competitive to those in other Southeast Asian countries. This considerable drop in price is due to severe competition between brands. Each brand is trying to boost its LCD sales by offering competitive prices. Moreover, the LCD is still in the growth stage in the product life cycle, so that the market will continue to grow. It is estimated that the market size of LCD in 2009 will be 400,000 to 500,000 units.

The 32-inch LCD has seen the biggest drop in price due to it being the most common. Almost 60 percent of the LCDs sold are 32 inch.

The second biggest segment is the 40 and 42 inch. Some brands prefer to manufacture the 40 inch, but others prefer the 42 inch. This segment has also seen considerable price drops of around 43 percent, from Rp 20 million in 2006 to Rp 11.5 million now.

This considerable decrease in price obviously benefits customers, especially the "late bloomers".
To get the most interesting deal, just buy a Friday morning newspaper and read the LCD prices offered at outlets. Then go shopping on the weekend, when prices are appealing. Shopping at modern outlets is also convenient, because not only are they air-conditioned and stocked with plenty of model options, they also usually offer financing options.

But if you love bargaining, you could go to a traditional outlet after researching prices.
Globally, governments have requested TV stations to shift from analog to digital transmission, and the Indonesian government is no exception. This will benefit viewers if they have an LCD TV with HD (High Definition) as they will enjoy better picture quality. So, have you planned your weekend to search for your dream LCD TV?